Roll microfilm and retrieving device and method of retrieving

ABSTRACT

A roll microfilm-retrieving device wherein a plurality of small signal marks disposed in a predetermined unequally spaced relation with respect to each other in each side edge portion of each of frames of the film are detected by a detecting device wherein a plurality of detecting elements whose number is the same with that of signal marks are disposed in the same relation with said relation of said marks, whereby a desired frame is located or retrieved by a number or counts of detection of said detecting device.

United States Patent Inventor l-lajime Yamashita Tokyo, Japan Appl. No.777,301

Filed Nov. 20, I968 Patented July 20, 1971 Assignee Kabushiki KaishaRicoh Tokyo, Japan Priority Nov. 27, 1967 Japan 42/75988 ROLL MICROFILMAND RETRIEVING DEVICE AND METHOD OF RETRIEVING 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 250/256, 352/92, 353/26 Int. Cl G01n 21/30, G03b 23/l2, 606k 7/14Field of Search 352/92, [23; 353/25, 26, 27, 120; 250/219 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,299,272 l/l967 Furukawa et al.250/2 l 9 3,212,399 l0/1965 Walter 352/92 X FOREIGN PATENTS 799,4278/1958 Great Britain 353/25 Primary Examiner-Louis R. Prince AssistantExaminer-Joseph W. Roskos Attorney-Burgess, Ryan and Hicks ABSTRACT: Aroll microfilm-retrieving device wherein a plurality of small signalmarks disposed in a predetermined unequally spaced relation with respectto each other in each side edge portion of each of frames of the filmare detected by a detecting device wherein a plurality of detectingelements whose number is the same with that of signal marks are disposedin the same relation with said relation of said marks, whereby a desiredframe is located or retrieved by a number or counts of detection of saiddetecting device.

PATENTED JUL20 I97! PRIOR ART FIG.1

FIG.2

FlG.3

I I M9 ROLL MICROFILM AND RETRIEVING DEVICE AND METHOD OF RETRIEVINGBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a rollmicrofilm-retrieving method and a device therefor and more particularlya roll microfilm-retrieving method and a device therefor of the typewherein a desired frame of the microfilm may be located by utilizingsmall signal marks disposed in each side edge portion exterior of eachframe of the microfilm.

There has been known such a roll microfilm-retrieving device wherein adesired frame is located or retrieved by detecting a signal markdisposed in a side portion of each frame of the microfilm. For example,as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one

substantially square, relatively large-sized and black-colored signalmark 2 is disposed in each of the side edge portions 8,, 8,, B 8,,respectively corresponding to frames A A A A, of a roll microfilm l, andthe roll microfilm is advanced between a photosensitive element 3 and aillumination light source 4 which is disposed opposite to thephotosensitive element 3 so that a number of frames of the rollmicrofilm may be counted thereby retrieving a described frame. Thedimensions of a conventional 35mm. roll microfilm which has been used inconjunction with the conventional roll microfilm-retrieving method asdescribed above are such that each frame is 39mm. X28mm. with the centerof the frame being along the longitudinal central axis of the roll film;the width of the edge portion is 3.5mm; and the signal mark is a squareof 2.5mm. X2.5mm. with the center being located along the transversecentral line of the frame.

The reasons why relatively large-sized signal marks are attached to aroll microfilm are that (l) erratic actuation of photosensitive elementdue to dust particles or the like attached to the microfilm can beprevented and (2) the sensitivity of the photosensitive element sued inthe conventional device of the type described is not sufficient. Suchlarge-sized signal marks as described above inevitably require thebroader width of the side edge portion so that the frame size is ratherlimited to a smaller size. Consequently, reductions are generallylimited to small reduction in order to prevent the reduction of theresolution power of a negative or positive picture depending upon theinformations to be recorded and at the .same time 1 the magnification orenlargement must be reduced by the same reason as described above.Therefore,

the'conventional roll microfilm retrieving device as described above isnot satisfactory to meet the ever-increasing demand in the informationfield for recording more complex, wider and more informations in aminimized number of frames in order to facilitate the informationstorage and retrieval.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention therefore has for itsobject to provide an improved roll microfilm-retrieving device wherein aplurality of small signal marks disposed in predetermined spacedapartrelation with respect to each other upon each edge portion of each frameof the roll microfilm are detected by the same number of photosensitiveelements so as to detect a number of frames.

According'ro one preferred embodiment of the present invention, aplurality of relatively small-sized signal marks are disposed in apredetermined relationship in each of the side edge portions of theframes of a roll microfilm. When the roll microfilm having the signalmarks as described above is advanced through the signal mark. detectingdevice of the present invention, these signal marks can be detected bymeansof a plurality of detecting elements which are disposed in the samerelationship with that of said signal marks. The retrieval of a desiredframe can be effected by counting the number of detections of suchsignal marks. A detecting elements generally photoelectric transducerelement are used in such a manner that they detect the light transmittedthrough the roll microfilm from a light source disposed behind the rollmicrofilm in opposition to the detecting elements so as to detectwhether the transmitted lights are incident thereupon or not.Alternatively, the detecting elements of the type described may be soarranged and disposed in such a manner they detect the intensity of thelight which are radiated from a light source disposed on the same sideof the detecting elements toward the roll microfilm and are reflectedthereby. According to the aspect of the present invention, whendetection of the transmitted lights is employed, a light source isdisposed in and held stationary with respect to a transparent hollowdrum together with a reflecting mirror. The roll microfilm to beretrieved is advanced over the transparent hollow drum by means ofsuitable guides and the signal marks are detected by the detectingelements.

One of the objects of the present invention is therefore to utilize asmuch as possible a limited area ofa roll microfilm for recordinginformations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device compactin size, simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and reliablefor accurately retrieving a desired frame ofthc roll microfilm.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

FIG. I is a plan view illustrating one part of a roll microfilm havingconventional signal marks for retrieval;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view illustrating a signal mark-detectingportion of a conventional roll microfilm-retrieving device, I

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of one embodiment of a roll microfilmhaving the signal marks according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating one embodiment of theconstruction of the signal mark-detecting portion for retrieval of theroll microfilm shown in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, agroup of small round blackcolored signal marks 11a, 11b and llc arephotographed, developed and fixed together with picture frames in eachof edge portions D,, D D .....D,, corresponding to frames C C C C,,. Thedimension of a small signal mark may be reduced as far as a conventionalhighly sensitive photosensitive element can detect the small signalmark. For example, in case of a 35mm. roll film, it has been found thatthe diameter of a signal mark may be reduced to the order from 0.5mm. to1.0mm. Therefore, the width of the edge portion which has beendetermined to be 3.5mm. may be conveniently reduced to 1.5mm. to 2.0mm.so that the width of each frame can be accordingly enlarged by a lengthcorresponding to the reduced width of the side edge portion, whereby thehigh resolution power and the retrieval accuracy may be attained incopying and printing. Since three small signal marks 11a, 11b and llcare equidistantly spaced from the side edge of the film with marks 11aand 11b closer than marks 11b and it will hardly happen that the dustparticles and the like having the same diameter with that of a smallsignal mark are aligned or spaced in the same order as in the case ofthe signal marks, so that the erratic actuationof the retrievingphotosensitive element by the dust particles or the like can becompletely prevented.

- A retrieving device generally indicated by reference numeral 20includes a hollow drum 2! made of a suitable transparent material andguide rollers 22 and 23 which are rotatably carried by suitable shaftsrespectively. A roll microfilm 10 is wrapped around a lower periphery ofthe guide roll 22, over the upper periphery of the drum 21 and over thelower periphery of the guide roller 23, and thereafter adnumber offrames. v

So far the present invention has been described as utilizing.

' in the direction indicated by the arrow by a suitable prime mover notshown, then the roll microfilm It) is advanced as indicated by thearrows. Upwardly of the drum 21 are disposed photosensitive elements24a, 24b and 24c which may be for example photoelectric tubes in such amanner that each opti- "calaxis of the photosensitive elementsintersects thecenter of the drum'ZL-FurthermQr'e, the axes of thephotosensitive elements are arrangedin such a manner that theintersections ,24aa, 24ba and 24d: at which the axes of thephotosensitive elements intersect the microfilm l correspond or coincidewith the positions of said small signal marks lla, llb and Herespectively. As'shown in FIG. 4, within the drum 21 are disposed alight source 25 and a reflecting mirror 26 so that the edge portionsD',, D D D,, of the roll microfilm are illuminated as the microfilm 10is advanced.

As clearly shownin FIG. 3, each group of the signal marks 11a, llb andl'lc for each frame have definite relationship or spacing which isrepeated exactly for every other frame. For example, the spacing betweenmarks 11a and llb is less than the spacing between marks llb and 110.This disparity of the spacings or distances is critical to the inventionto provide for precise alignment with the axes of the photoelectricelements and avoid any possible actuation by dust particles or the likewhich would not achieve such predetermined spacing. With respect tothese photoelectric elements, the same disparate spacing is thereforenece ssary, and this is clearly seen in FIG.

. 4 where the distance between clement 24a and 24b is less than thedistance between elements 24b and 240. lt will be understood froma'consideration of FIG. 4that the individual disparate spacing betweenthe photoelectric elements would be greater than the individualdisparate spacing between the marks since the photoelectric elements arelocated on the an are outside of drum 2l',on which the microfilm isadvanced. However, such individual disparate spacing of the twodistances between the photoelectric elements bears the same ratio as theindividual disparate spacing of the two distances between the marks sothat'when the axes of the photoelectric elements intersect themicrofilm, an exact alignment with the small-size marks in each group isassured.

With the construction described hereinabove, when the roll microfilm 10is advanced over the signal-sensing portions in the direction indicatedby the arrows, each of small signal mark groups each consisting ofthreesmall signal marks lla,

llb and He are simultaneously sensed by means of the botosensitiveelements 24a, 24b and 24cso that the roll microfilm 10 is stoppedat apredetermined frame thereof after the roll film has been advanced by'apredetermined three black-colored small round signal'markslla, llb andHe as small signal marks, but it will be understood that the shape andthe number of the small signal marks are not limited to the round shapeand three respectively, but'they may be rectangular or polygonal inshape and their number may be more than three. Furthermore, it is to beunderstood that the color of a small signal mark is not limited to deepblack but may be such that the contrast of the color can bedistinguished from that of the edge portion, that is the mechanical baseof the film. t I

v Furthermore it must be understood that the member of illuminatingtheroll microfilm is not limited to the device as describedh'ereinabove, but any other suitable illuminating.

device, may be utilized. For example, a white-colored reflecting platemay be disposed downwardly of the microfilm so that the lightsilluminating the film from the above and being reflected by thewhite-colored reflecting plate may be adg The present invention has beendescribed in detail with particular reference to a preferred embodimentthereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications canbe effected within the spirit and scope of the present invention asdescribed hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

it will be understood that na object of the invention is to allow theuse of signal marks which are so small that the photosensitive detectingmeans capable of registering the presence of the signal mark may alsoregister the presence of a dust particle, dirt speck, stain or otherfalse markof a size likely to be present on microfilm produced andhandled in the ordinary manner. In the following claims the word.blemish has been used to designate such false marks, whether they areincorporated into the film (as a stain, for example) or only temporarilypresent thereon (as, for example, a dust particle). Whilethe exact'sizeof such blemishes cannot be specified, the size of those likely to beencountered in a given application is usually known to workers in theart. As has been pointed out above, for example, it has been necessaryin the prior art dcvicesto use a square mark 2.5 mm. on a side to avoidusing a photosensitive element sufficiently sensitive to be actuatedimproperly by blemishes in ordinary microfilm,

1. In a roll microfilm-retrieving device for use with a microfilmxhavinga series of picture frames each including a marking means in the borderthereof comprising:

a transparent rotatable drum interposed between a pair of guide rollsover which the microfilm is advanced;

a stationary light source located on one side of the periphery of saiddrum; and

a plurality of detecting elements each having an optical axis andlocated on the'other side of the periphery of said drum;

the improvement comprising:

said detecting elements having a disparate spacing between anintermediate detecting element andv adjacent detecting elements;

said spacings corresponding to the spacings within said marking meanswhich comprise a group of small-size marks corresponding in number tosaid detecting elements; and

said detecting elements simultaneously sensing all marks in a group asthe microfilm is advanced past said light source.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the light source is locatedinside of said transparent drum and includes a reflecting mirror, andthe detecting elements are aligned in the direction of longitudinaladvancement of the microfilm and located outside of said transparentdrum. on an are so that each respective axis of said detecting elementspasses through said microfilm and intersects the center of said drum.

3. In combination with a roll microfilm-retrieving device comprising atransparent rotatable drum interposed between a pair of guide rolls, astationary light source located on one side of the periphery of saiddrum, and a plurality of spaced-apart detecting elements each having anoptical axis and located on the other side of said drum;

a microfilm including a series of picture frames each having a bordertherearound and adapted to be advanced on said drum, each frame of saidmicrofilm having a group of at least three small-size marks locatedwithin said border, the spacings on either side of an intermediate markbeing disparate and corresponding to the spacings of said detectingelements.

4. A method of locating a desired position on a strip of materialcomprising the steps of providing a center mark and two outer marks onthe strip,

said marks being linearly arrayed parallel to a side of the strip, beingpositioned in a predetermined relation to the I desired position, andbeing spaced with a first gap between one outer mark and the center markdifferent in length from a second gap between the center mark and theother outer mark;

passing the stripalong a strip path in a direction parallel to the sideof the strip beneath three detecting means,-said detecting means beingadaptedto register the presence of one of the marks at a detectionstation, the detection stations being located in the path of the marksas the strip moves along the strip path and being spaced apart by gapsequal to the first and second gaps whereby the center mark and the outermarks each simultaneously pass different detecting stations as the stripmoves along the strip path; and

registering on the detecting means the simultaneous presence of theouter marks and the center mark at the detection stations.

5 The method of claim 4 wherein the center mark and the outer marks areof a size not substantially exceeding the size of the largest blemish towhich the strip of material is likely to be subjected during use.

6. A device for locating a desired position on a strip of material, saidstrip of material having a center mark and two outer marks on oppositesides of the center mark, said marks being linearly arrayed parallel toa side edge of the strip in a predetermined relation to the desiredposition, and the first gap between one outer mark and the center markbeing different in length from the second gap between the other outermark and the center mark, said device comprising transport means formoving the strip in a direction parallel to the side edge thereof pastthree detection stations, said detection stations being in the path ofthe marks and spaced from each other by gaps equal to the first andsecond gaps whereby .the center mark and the outer marks eachsimultaneously pass different detecting stations as the strip movesalong the strip path; and

6 detecting means for simultaneously detecting the presence at thedetecting stations of the outer marks and center mark. I 1 7. The deviceof claim 6 wherein the detecting means is sufficiently sensitive to beactivated by marks of magnitude equal to the reasonably expectableblemishes on the strip.

8. A device comprising: a microfilm strip adapted for projection in amicrofilm projector and having a border area adjacent an image-bearingarea, said border area being subject to accidental marking by blemishesnot exceeding a given size; means for indicating a chosen location onthe strip, said means comprising a center mark and two outer markslinearly positioned on either side of the center mark equidistant froman edge of the strip and placed in a predetermined position with regardto the chosen loca tion, the gap between the center mark and one outermark being different in length from the gap between the center mark andthe other outer mark, said marks being of a size not substantiallyexceeding the given size; transport means for moving the strip in adirection parallel to the side edge thereof past three detectionstations, said detection stations being in the path of the marks andspaced from each other by gaps equal to the first and second gapswhereby the center mark and the outer marks each simultaneously passdifierent strip path; and detecting means for simultaneously detectingthe presence at the detecting stations of the outer marks and the centermarks, said detecting means being sufficiently sensitive to be activatedby marks of magnitude equal to the reasonably expectable blemishes onthe strip.

1. In a roll microfilm-retrieving device for use with a microfilm havinga series of picture frames each including a marking means in the borderthereof comprising: a transparent rotatable drum interposed between apair of guide rolls over which the microfilm is advanced; a stationarylight source located on one side of the periphery of said drum; and aplurality of detecting elements each having an optical axis and locatedon the other side of the periphery of said drum; the improvementcomprising: said detecting elements having a disparate spacing betweenan intermediate detecting element and adjacent detecting elements; saidspacings corresponding to the spacings within said marking means whichcomprise a group of small-size marks corresponding in number to saiddetecting elements; and said detecting elements simultaneously sensingall marks in a group as the microfilm is advanced past said lightsource.
 2. A device according to claim 1, in which the light source islocated insidE of said transparent drum and includes a reflectingmirror, and the detecting elements are aligned in the direction oflongitudinal advancement of the microfilm and located outside of saidtransparent drum on an arc so that each respective axis of saiddetecting elements passes through said microfilm and intersects thecenter of said drum.
 3. In combination with a roll microfilm-retrievingdevice comprising a transparent rotatable drum interposed between a pairof guide rolls, a stationary light source located on one side of theperiphery of said drum, and a plurality of spaced-apart detectingelements each having an optical axis and located on the other side ofsaid drum; a microfilm including a series of picture frames each havinga border therearound and adapted to be advanced on said drum, each frameof said microfilm having a group of at least three small-size markslocated within said border, the spacings on either side of anintermediate mark being disparate and corresponding to the spacings ofsaid detecting elements.
 4. A method of locating a desired position on astrip of material comprising the steps of providing a center mark andtwo outer marks on the strip, said marks being linearly arrayed parallelto a side of the strip, being positioned in a predetermined relation tothe desired position, and being spaced with a first gap between oneouter mark and the center mark different in length from a second gapbetween the center mark and the other outer mark; passing the stripalong a strip path in a direction parallel to the side of the stripbeneath three detecting means, said detecting means being adapted toregister the presence of one of the marks at a detection station, thedetection stations being located in the path of the marks as the stripmoves along the strip path and being spaced apart by gaps equal to thefirst and second gaps whereby the center mark and the outer marks eachsimultaneously pass different detecting stations as the strip movesalong the strip path; and registering on the detecting means thesimultaneous presence of the outer marks and the center mark at thedetection stations. 5 The method of claim 4 wherein the center mark andthe outer marks are of a size not substantially exceeding the size ofthe largest blemish to which the strip of material is likely to besubjected during use.
 6. A device for locating a desired position on astrip of material, said strip of material having a center mark and twoouter marks on opposite sides of the center mark, said marks beinglinearly arrayed parallel to a side edge of the strip in a predeterminedrelation to the desired position, and the first gap between one outermark and the center mark being different in length from the second gapbetween the other outer mark and the center mark, said device comprisingtransport means for moving the strip in a direction parallel to the sideedge thereof past three detection stations, said detection stationsbeing in the path of the marks and spaced from each other by gaps equalto the first and second gaps whereby the center mark and the outer markseach simultaneously pass different detecting stations as the strip movesalong the strip path; and detecting means for simultaneously detectingthe presence at the detecting stations of the outer marks and centermark.
 7. The device of claim 6 wherein the detecting means issufficiently sensitive to be activated by marks of magnitude equal tothe reasonably expectable blemishes on the strip.
 8. A devicecomprising: a microfilm strip adapted for projection in a microfilmprojector and having a border area adjacent an image-bearing area, saidborder area being subject to accidental marking by blemishes notexceeding a given size; means for indicating a chosen location on thestrip, said means comprising a center mark and two outer marks linearlypositioned on either side of the center mark equidistant from an edge ofthe strip and placed in a predetermined position with regard to thechosen location, the gap between the center mark and one outer markbeing different in length from the gap between the center mark and theother outer mark, said marks being of a size not substantially exceedingthe given size; transport means for moving the strip in a directionparallel to the side edge thereof past three detection stations, saiddetection stations being in the path of the marks and spaced from eachother by gaps equal to the first and second gaps whereby the center markand the outer marks each simultaneously pass different strip path; anddetecting means for simultaneously detecting the presence at thedetecting stations of the outer marks and the center marks, saiddetecting means being sufficiently sensitive to be activated by marks ofmagnitude equal to the reasonably expectable blemishes on the strip.